This is what Steve Jobs initially wanted to name Safari – Times of India

Making a good product is just half the job, naming it correctly is also one of the key factors behind its success. This is exactly what happened with Apple’s native web browser — Safari. Slate.com has reported that Don Melton, the ex-Apple engineer who was leading the Safari project back then, has mentioned in his blog post that Steve Jobs initially wanted to name Safari something else.
According to Melton, during the development of the web browser, it was codenamed Alexander after Alexander the Great. Steve Jobs started calling out all the potential names for the web browser, which Melton speculated that it was an effort to find out the name that sounds easy and simple to call out.
Melton has mentioned that the name Freedom was something that Steve Jobs was fixated on. As per Melton, the name meant offering freedom from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer which was the default web browser available for macOS back then.
However, the name was further shelved and Steve Jobs finally named the browser Safari. Melton’s blog post mentions “To this day, I don’t know who suggested the name “Safari.” I wasn’t in the room when the heavens split asunder and angels sounded forth as a choir singing that three-syllable benediction. He further adds, “So, to whoever suggested the name “Safari,” thank you.”

Those who don’t know Apple started the development of the Safari project in 2002 and it launched it in 2003 at the year’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC). Also, the Safari web browser became the default web browser for the new Macintosh devices announced at the same event. The web browser back then featured some really important options like Google Search, tab browsing, pop-up blocking and more.
Fast forward to this day, Apple Safari is now a core part of the entire Apple ecosystem. It is available across devices including Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod and it also comes with a more modern design, enhanced security options and more.